This invention relates to holders for curtain rods. More specifically, the invention is directed to apparatus for supporting curtain rods between the panels of a bay window.
It is known in the art to hang curtains in front of a bay window by providing rods which can be pivoted relative to the planes of the glass window panels. The angles between the planes of the panels of bay windows can vary among different bay windows and among panels of the same bay window. Moldings and other wall and window features may not be square with respect to a room's ceiling or floor. Depending on the number of sets of curtains to be hung, the use of other decorative enhancements such as valences and the distance by which moldings project from the surface of the surrounding wall, various linear and angular adjustments may be required in the hanging of one or more sets of curtains over a bay window. Although prior art curtain rod supports exist for allowing adjustment of some of the dimensions which must be varied for successfully hanging curtains in front of a bay window, none is universally adjustable for accommodating virtually all situations.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 1,591,209 to Boye discloses a curtain rod with hinges provided between sections of the rod for mounting on a bay window.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,375,805 to Umphrey describes a shade and curtain holder having bars with pivoting supports. The rods are mounted on a wall above a window via brackets which can be slid along the bars. Conventional C-shaped curtain rods have cuts to enable them to be bent at the intersections of the rods.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,018,626 to Johnson for a Curtain Rod and End Bracket Assembly discloses the use of connectors to interconnect curtain rod sections which can then be angled to conform to the panels of a bay window. The connectors are made of a resilient synthetic resin material such as polypropylene so that they can be bent without breaking.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,694,532 to Black teaches that several curtain rods may be mounted on a single bracket over a bay window.
The rods are connected at their ends by elbow fittings to change direction for conforming to bay windows.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,192,882 to De Muth discloses a bracket and rod structure for hanging curtains and drapes. De Muth provides for swinging each panel of a pair of curtain panels away from a window, independently of the other panel in a manner which does not appear to be suitable for bay windows.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,229,904 to Sliwa discloses a pivoting curtain rod bracket. Each end of a curtain rod is supported on a separate pivoting bracket. Each rod end can be lifted from its bracket and moved away from the wall on which its bracket is mounted as the bracket supporting the other end pivots outwardly. Curtains or drapes can then be mounted on the rod without having to entirely dismount it. Thereafter the rod can then be pivoted back toward the wall and reconnected to its bracket. Like De Muth, Sliwa discloses a pivoting bracket for a curtain rod which is not, by itself, suitable for hanging curtains in front of a bay window.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,195,979 to Ziolkowski for a curtain drapery support shows the use of pivoting brackets for mounting two curtain rods in parallel. A central locking member joins the ends of two aligned curtain rods, their opposite ends being connected to pivoting brackets mounted on the wall. When a the central locking member is removed, the two segments of the rod can be swung outwardly.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,653,564 to Marocco discloses an angled track for vertical blinds which can be mounted in front of a bay window.
None of the foregoing prior art curtain rod supports provides for supporting adjacent tubular curtain rods in front of a bay window with the number of degrees of movement required to be able to fully adjust the angles and spacing of rods for hanging curtains in front of a bay window.